We haven't had a good anchor analysis thread in a while. I saw this one at New Jack City (of all places) this weekend, and thought it might make for some interesting discussion. A climber had rigged this as a TR anchor for his kids. What do you guys think? (Click images to enlarge.)

In effect it is a two piece anchor with a backup. Considering the two pieces were totally bomber and perfectly equalized, it would be alright. However, as it is, if the quickdraws aren't equalized under load then the weight is only on one piece.

I would equalize at least two of those with a sling and then go for it.

Nothing but quickdraws. Intersting. That certainly gives you no mechanism for equalization, save for moving the primary placements until it's equalized. He's weighting nothing but one piece at a time, and that second draw in the chain coming from the top nut would have a good chance to open right up if the (loaded) piece below it failed - the whole force of it would come down on the gate in an orientation to open it (not to mention shock loading that piece even if the gate doesn't open).

Just quickly The rope end biners are neither opposite or opposed. One of the 3 pieces is so out of equalization that it will only be weighted if the other fails. A couple of the biners higher up look to be held gateside to the rock, possibly allowing the gates to be forced open. I'm not fond of biner to biner chains in this application

Cannot really tell if the pieces are placed correctly, so I won't comment on them.

The draws present several problems. The one attached to the nut is close to an edge that may open it and loading the anchor might introduce some forces in a unusual and unwanted directions.

All the black draws clipped to the left anchor has many issues regarding equalization and gate position. The upper nut is not equalized, and failure of the upper cam could result in unclipping of the upper nut. Could of solved the unclipping issue just by clipping into the lower draw, but this still would not make a great anchor.

Cannot really tell if the pieces are placed correctly, so I won't comment on them.

The draws present several problems. The one attached to the nut is close to an edge that may open it and loading the anchor might introduce some forces in a unusual and unwanted directions.

All the black draws clipped to the left anchor has many issues regarding equalization and gate position. The upper nut is not equalized, and failure of the upper cam could result in unclipping of the upper nut. Could of solved the unclipping issue just by clipping into the lower draw, but this still would not make a great anchor.

Not good enough if my kid was climbing on it.

i'll totally agree with the madscientist on this one about where the biners are facing, questionable placement and equalization. i'm also kinda wondering where the locker is on this anchor, cause i don't see one.

Aluminum biners get loaded over small-profiled metal hangers worldwide countless times a day without incident. Why would this be any worse?

As I understand it, the issue isn't metal on metal, but rather biner on biner - if they get twisted, the gates can press against the other biner and open - a problem that's alleviated by connecting via a sling.

If I was building a TR anchor for the typical kid I would probably incorporate a sliding-x/equallette design because most kids that TR don't seem to stay on route. That would probably solve most of the problems here since, other than the placements, it would be a totally different anchor.

I think the main problem is that he didn't make his kids lead it.

Wait, isn't New Jack City a sport crag? Aren't there top anchors already?

If the direction of pull changes, then one of the legs in the anchor would take no load. If the rope now twist those carabiners 180 degrees, so that the loaded carabiner gets the unloaded quickdraw between itself and the rock, the gate on the loaded carabiner could get forced open.

In that case the anchor would suddenly be somewhat scary since they would be top-roping from one open carabiner, backed up by another carabiner that would have the gate facing the rock.

In the olden days, and yes I'm old, the term metal to metal denoted 2 biners clipped together. As someone mentioned they have a tendency to unclip in certain situations. I will be more diligent in the future with my wording. I suggest you climb with a few crusty old dudes and dudettes so as not to let these things fade away. I surely suffer in the writing department as Sister Mary Agony beat it out of me. And yes I came from a time when that not only was legal but encouraged.

Aluminum biners get loaded over small-profiled metal hangers worldwide countless times a day without incident. Why would this be any worse?

Because two biners clipped together have a tendency to unclip themselves.

"Tendency" isn't the word you're looking for. "Minute possibility" is more like it. It would be way down on the list of concerns for the instance above.

It may be a minute possibility, but so what? Why use a locking carabiner for belaying. It is a minute possibility that it will come undone. It is a top rope anchor. If the route wanders, the thing will jiggle around, and the biners could unclip. I agree with you that it is not the biggest issue with the anchor. The biggest issue is that Jay probably set the thing up himself.

the other side of the anchor (nut and cam) is fine, but the nose of more than one carabiner facing the rock on that arm is worrisome. those two pieces could have been clipped together at the end of the draw on the nut for pretty good equalization- then slung down to the power point for a less cluttered arm.

as for the non-opposed- i'd rather have the gates facing away from the rock in this instance. i'd have also put a locker or two in there, depending on my mood.

of course, as a TR anchor...the gates against the rock is somewhat worrisome, but in all reality, probably not that big of a deal as even open gate, the forces on the anchor arent going to touch the open gate strengths anyway. and you'd have to really get bouncing on that thing to worry about the biner to biner connections...meh, it works. easy enough to clean it up and make it worry free, though.